Charnwood Sapphires in hunt for sponsor and National League venue

The news comes just two weeks after the side’s spectacular play-off success in Sheffield earned them a place in the Nationals, the culmination of a season which also saw them crowned East Midlands Regional League Division One champions for the first time in the club’s history.

The Charnwood Sapphires squad which has won promotion to the National Premier League for the 2016-2017 season. Picture from left to right: Maddie Munro-Hall, Lisa Griffiths, Katie Welsh, Samantha Griffin, Tilly Rees, Beth Marron, Georgina McAndrew, Lucy Carveth, Melissa Oakman and Team Physio Maria McAndrew.

CHARNWOOD SAPPHIRES have launched an appeal for new sponsors and a search for a home for their National Premier League team.

The news comes just two weeks after the side’s spectacular play-off success in Sheffield earned them a place in the Nationals, the culmination of a season which also saw them crowned East Midlands Regional League Division One champions for the first time in the club’s history.

The Sapphire’s regional league teams play their matches at Loughborough University and the club had hoped they would be able to play the National League matches there as well, but the University has no space in its schedule to accommodate them so now club officials are looking elsewhere.

The club’s other sides, which play in the Loughborough Town Netball League, play at Loughborough Leisure Centre, but at this stage it appears unlikely the facilities there would meet the standards required and meet National League requirements the club has to fulfil to play host to their opponents and supporters.

Player-coach Sam Griffin said it was important that the club found somewhere with a court playing surface the players were happy with and she hoped it would be resolved quickly.

“It’s a shame we can’t play at the university as the facilities there are great, but we are exploring other options at the moment. We want to stay in Loughborough but if we have to look further afield then we will do.

“The team starts pre-season training again in a few weeks time and it would nice to have this sorted out before then.”

The other hurdle the club is facing is the costs involved in playing in the National League.

Player-coach Sam Griffin explained that with fixtures involving clubs as far afield as Sussex, Chester, Norfolk and Manchester and games having to be played between 10am-2pm on a Sunday, it was inevitable that most of the nine away fixtures would involve staying in hotels overnight.

She said that the club was hoping to attract one big sponsor who could have its name on the club’s kit to raise its profile while at the same time, fund the cost of being in the National League, which is likely to be in the region of several thousand pounds.

“It is a big commitment for the players and it would be fantastic if we could get a sponsor on board.

“The National League is going to be a huge step up but we are aiming to prove we can be competitive at that level, so I know the team will be even more determined for next season after the achievements of this season, something we didn’t think was possible.”

Anyone who is interested in sponsoring the team should get in contact with team manager Ian Marron at imarron1963@gmail.com